Can Video Games Save the World?

A small group of educators and activists is championing the use of video games for more than just entertainment, the Washington Post reports. “I don't think games have to be fun,” one key organizer said. “I think games have to be engaging.” New titles in the so-called serious game genre focus not only on subjects such as Darfur, the US justice system, and the environment, but also on the more practical, like training Canon employees to service copiers.

Many new games seem to have an activist perspective. Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is developing one that puts players in the place of a judge wading through a thorny First Amendment issue. And Microsoft has sponsored a worldwide contest to develop games illustrating the trials and tribulations of forging a greener tomorrow. (More video games stories.)